When the Night Falls
by Angel Hawkeye
Summary: It's the night before the final fight and Aloy is restless, even in such a comfortable bed. Her thoughts keep her awake, especially when they keep going to those stormy blue eyes of a certain Vanguard.


When the Night Falls

_It's the night before the final push against HADES and the Eclipse and Avad has opened up Olin's old place for Aloy to rest. But can she really rest with so much riding on her? So many thoughts are circling in her head this night. Maybe she needs someone to talk to about it all._

The steps creaked under her feet as she climbed them to where Olin's old bed sat, alone and empty. She stripped off her armor and weapons and sat down slowly on the side of the bed, sighing softly.

"It's softer than what I'm used to…huh. A somewhat nice change of pace."

She clicked her tongue as she looked around before laying back and staring at the ceiling.

"How could you sleep, Elisabet, with a weight like this pressing on you? How did you, Rost, after you lost your family? …Sylens? Are you there? Guess I shouldn't ask ghosts for advice…"

As the sound of the crackling fire danced in her ears, she closed her eyes, hoping sleep would take over soon, but it was to no avail. She tossed and turned and groaned in frustration as she finally sat up and began pacing the small upper floor before sitting in front of the fireplace and staring into the flames.

She wished she had someone to talk to right then. She wished she had taken more time checking the preparations and speaking with those she called friends now. She wished she had spent more time talking to Erend.

She blinked in pure confusion as she gazed into the flames as they crackled and flickered, that lost thought coming in suddenly and out of nowhere. Why would she be thinking about just Erend?

"I must be more anxious than I want to admit…"

But still, those startling blue eyes that reminded her of the calm before a storm. She had seen so many emotions in those glacier colored eyes, pain, sorrow, anger, and relief. Relief whenever he saw her.

Her heart seemed to speed up as she thought of those eyes and the way he smiled, the way his muscles flexed when he fought in battle, the sound of his laugh at one of his ridiculous jokes…

A knock on the door below pulled her from her thoughts and she stood up, glancing down to see Erend standing there.

It nearly knocked her off her feet, almost as though he had heard her thoughts of him which made her stomach tighten.

Why? Why was she reacting in such a way?

"Aloy?"

His voice was gentle as he looked up at her, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yes, Erend?"

Did her voice sound normal? She hoped it did as she swallowed past the lump in her throat.

"I uhh…I just wanted to check in on you. Is it alright if I come up?"

"Ah…sure."

Internally her heart was beating a faster than a swooping glinthawk and the knots in her stomach tightened as she sat once more in front of the fireplace and watched the flames, trying not to focus on the sound of the steps as he climbed up them.

"Can't sleep?"

He asked as he sat beside her, a solemn look on his face.

"I'm…scared."

Did she really admit that? Aloy being afraid was not a normal thing. She brought down many machines in her life and had never felt so afraid. It had always been excitement and exhilaration but never fear.

"Aloy…I don't blame you. The entire world is resting on your shoulders. But the good thing is, you have friends to help you. We're all here for you. And we'll fight at your side to the bitter end."

Friends. Such a foreign word to her after the way she grew up.

"I've…never really had friends. It's such a strange thing for me with how I grew up as an Outcast. All I had was Rost and what he taught me."

Erend nodded as he listened to her, watching her as she sat there, almost as still as a sawtooth waiting to pounce on its prey. She hardly spoke of her life before coming her to Meridian, clearly being a painful thing to discuss. He knew enough from when she did speak about it, that Rost had been important to her, a mentor or a father figure of sorts. He also knew that by the pain in her voice Rost wasn't around anymore, most likely against his wishes.

He had never been any good at being a comfort to anyone so he gently clapped his hand on her shoulder and offered an easygoing smile.

"It'll be okay. You're a tough one Aloy. We'll make it through this."

They sat in silence then, both of them watching as the flames danced in hues or orange, yellow, and blue. Blue like Erend's eyes.

Aloy shook her head and groaned in exasperation, earning a quizzical look from the man sitting beside her.

"Are you alright Aloy? I mean, aside from all that's going to happen tomorrow?"

"I…can I be honest with you and not be judged?"

"Of course you can."

She took a shaky breath and ran a hand through her long sunset red hair as she struggled to form her thoughts into words.

Sunset red hair. He had never really given it much thought before but that's what her hair reminded him of. The sunsets over Meridian as he stood guard. Funny how he had never really noticed that until now. Her hair also reminded him of the fire that steadily burned in front of them, the flickering flames casting her hair in a gentle glow of reds and oranges.

When had he started looking at her in such a way? He hadn't noticed of course, never really having any experience in love or anything of that sort. Love. Had he really fallen in love with this fierce girl?

She looked up at him finally, her eyes connecting with his and he felt his heart race. Her eyes were the hue of the new spring growth, bright and soft all at once. It was the kind of earthy green that revives the grass after a cruel, unforgiving winter.

"Erend."

She spoke his name softly, her voice low as she placed her hand on top of his and the outside world fell silent. Nothing else mattered in that moment but the two of them.

"Y-yes Aloy?"

"I just…don't know how to say this. Or how to do any of this…but…I think I…"

"You…?"

His voice was low and husky as he said that and Aloy swallowed past the lump in her throat once more.

"I think I…might like you Erend. More than friends…I think. I don't know. This has never happened to me before…"

He sucked in a breath at her admission and at the sullen look on her face her took her hand in his and brushed his lips over her knuckles, causing her to blush nearly as red as her hair.

"It's alright Aloy. I'm new to this too. We can…learn together if you'd like?"

She nods before scooting closer to him to lean against him, her head on his shoulder.

"Thank you…will you stay? I…uhh…don't mean anything weird I just…don't want to be alone."

He wraps his arms around her gently and kisses her hair with a smile as he held her close to his large frame.

"I'll stay by your side for as long as you need me."

He says softly.

"I may need you forever…until the night falls…"

She whispers softly, her eyes fluttering closed as she curled up against him.


End file.
